HEADLINE

Report: Texans fire defensive assistant Pagano

Field Level Media

January 18, 2020 at 11:04 pm.

The Houston Texans have fired senior defensive assistant and outside linebackers coach John Pagano, the Houston Chronicle reported Saturday.

The 52-year-old Pagano, the younger brother of former Indianapolis Colts head coach and current Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano, was let go by the Texans after two seasons with the team.

Per the Chronicle report, league sources said that veteran defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel is still deciding whether or not to return for another season in Houston. The report mentions defensive line coach Anthony Weaver as an internal candidate to replace the 72-year-old Crennel, Texans defensive coordinator for five seasons (2014-16, 2018-19), if he retires.

Texans head coach Bill O’Brien vowed the team would avoid making sweeping coaching changes after the team blew a 24-point lead in its eventual 51-31 playoff loss at Kansas City in the AFC Divisional round. The Texans finished 10-6 in winning the AFC North in 2019, ranking 19th in scoring defense (24.1 points allowed per game).

Pagano has been an NFL assistant coach since 1996 with five organizations — the New Orleans Saints (1996-97 as defensive assistant), Colts (1998-2001 as defensive assistant), San Diego Chargers (2002-16 in variety of roles, ending as defensive coordinator for his final five seasons there), Oakland Raiders (2017 as defensive assistant and coordinator) and the Texans.